Note: West Coast Eagles played its "home" final at the MCG despite being ranked above Carlton due to the agreement then in place with the Melbourne Cricket Club that at least one game each week of the finals be played at the MCG.

Richmond and Adelaide played in torrential and stormy conditions at Football Park in Round 9. Under new laws that were introduced following the power outage which interrupted a game at Waverley Park in 1996, the captains met in the centre to decide whether to call the game off at three quarter time (accepting the progress score as final), due to the thunder and lightning having put out two light towers during half time. At that stage, Adelaide led by a point, but the captains agreed to carry on with the game. Richmond ended up winning by 9 points.

Two weeks later, Richmond once again played in heavy and unrelenting rain at Football Park, this time against Port Adelaide. Port Adelaide won by the score of 4.8 (32) to 3.12 (30). It was Port Adelaide’s lowest score, and remained as such until 2010 (also against Richmond), giving them the unique distinction during that period of time of having recorded a victory with their lowest score.

Brisbane's half-time score of 21.5 (131) against Fremantle in round 20 set the new and enduring record for the highest half-time score in VFL/AFL history.

In their Round 12 game, Hawthorn trailed St Kilda by 63 points early in the second quarter before recovering to win by thirteen points. This set a new record for the largest ever comeback in a VFL/AFL game, a record which would stand until 2001.

The start of the Round 22 game between Richmond and Carlton at the Melbourne Cricket Ground was delayed by about half an hour after the scoreboard at the city end caught fire ten minutes before the scheduled bounce down. Players returned to the rooms, and much of the Ponsford Stand was evacuated onto the playing arena.

Collingwood lost 13 games in a row following on from the end of the previous season. They finally won against Fremantle in Round 8.

Port Adelaide's percentage of 90.12 remains the worst of any team in VFL/AFL history which qualified a team for the finals (excluding the seasons affected by World War I).

1.
North Melbourne Football Club
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It is based at the Arden Street Oval in the inner Melbourne suburb of North Melbourne, Victoria, but plays its home matches at the nearby Docklands Stadium. The clubs mascot is a kangaroo, and its use dates from the middle of the 20th century. The club is also known as The Shinboners, a term which dates back to its 19th-century abattoir-worker origins. The clubs motto is Victoria amat curam, Latin for Victory Demands Dedication, in two aspects North Melbourne stands second to none. One is the loyalty of its supporters, the other is the determination to carry on, despite its disadvantages. In the face of adversity, which might well have broken the spirit of most men, North Melbourne Football Club originated in the year 1869, when a football team was formed for local cricketers desiring to keep fit over the winter months. Information on the clubs first ever match is limited, but it is known that it took place in Royal Park, the ball used in the match was purchased by a local resident called Tom Jacks, who sold some roofing iron to pay for it. James Henry Gardiner is considered the founder of the club and he continued an active role with North Melbourne until his death in 1921. Regular premiership matches of Australian Football commenced in Victoria in 1870, Although North Melbourne was a part of this, it was classed as a junior club. The Australasian noted them as being one of the best of junior clubs. The club continued to develop, graduating to senior ranks in 1874 finishing 4th, along with the promotion, the club adopted its first uniform of blue and white horizontal stripes. In 1877, the club was re-established as a club under the new name of Hotham. Football took a giant step forward in 1877, with the formation of Victorias first colonial football league, Hotham were prime movers in establishing this league and were afforded a place in light of their previous contributions to Australian Football. The 1880s marked the emergence of the identity we now associate with North today. In 1882, the club amalgamated with the Hotham Cricket Club and moved into the North Melbourne Recreation Reserve, the joint venture was aimed at affecting improvements at the Hotham Cricket Ground, which was the name of the Reserve at the time. Four years later the club adopted the uniform of blue and white vertical stripes at the insistence of the VFA. The third significant development occurred in 1888 with the returning to its original name of the North Melbourne Football Club. This followed the name of the local area reverting from Hotham to North Melbourne, the 1880s saw the club develop a penchant for inter-colonial travel with trips to Tasmania and South Australia

2.
Essendon Football Club
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The Essendon Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League, the sports premier competition. Formed in 1871 as a club and playing as a senior club since 1878. It is historically associated with Essendon, a suburb in the north-west of Melbourne, dyson Heppell is the current team captain. A founding member club of both the Victorian Football Association, in 1877, and the Victorian Football League, in 1896, the club claims to have over at least one million supporters Australia wide. Essendon has won 16 VFL/AFL premierships which, along with Carlton, is the most of any club in the competition, the club was founded by members of the Royal Agricultural Society, the Melbourne Hunt Club and the Victorian Woolbrokers. The Essendon Football Club is thought to have formed in 1872 at a meeting it the home of a well-known brewery family, the McCrackens, whose Ascot Vale property hosted a team of local junior players. Robert McCracken, the owner of several city hotels, was the founder and first president of the Essendon club and his son, Alex, Alex would later become president of the newly formed VFL. Alexs cousin, Collier, who had played with Melbourne, was the teams first captain. The club played its first recorded match against the Carlton second twenty on 7 June 1873, Essendon played 13 matches in its first season, winning seven, with four draws and losing two. The club was one of the junior members of the Victorian Football Association in 1877. During its early years in the Association, Essendon played its matches at Flemington Hill. In 1878, Essendon played in the first match on what would be considered by modern standards to be a field at Flemington Hill. In 1879 Essendon played Melbourne in one of the earliest night matches recorded when the ball was painted white, in 1883 the team played four matches in Adelaide. In 1891 Essendon won their first VFA premiership, which they repeated in 1892,1893 and 1894, one of the clubs greatest players, Albert Thurgood played for the club during this period. Essendon was undefeated in the 1893 season, at the end of the 1896 season Essendon along with seven other clubs formed the Victorian Football League. Essendons first VFL game was in 1897 was against Geelong at Corio Oval in Geelong, Essendon won its first VFL premiership by winning the 1897 VFL finals series. Essendon again won the premiership in 1901, defeating Collingwood in the Grand Final, the club won successive premierships in 1911 and 1912 over Collingwood and South Melbourne respectively. The nickname first appeared in print in the local North Melbourne Advertiser in 1889 and it was known firstly as Essendon Town and, after 1905, as Essendon

3.
Hawthorn Football Club
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The Hawthorn Football Club, nicknamed the Hawks, is a professional Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League. The club, founded in 1902, is the youngest of the Victorian-based teams in the AFL and has won thirteen VFL/AFL premierships and it is renowned as the only club having won premierships in each decade of the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s and 2010s. The team play in brown and gold vertically striped guernseys, the clubs Latin motto is spectemur agendo, the English translation being By our deeds let us be known. The Hawks origins are in the inner-eastern Melbourne suburb of Hawthorn and also at Glenferrie Oval, matches, however, have not been played there since 1973. In 2006, Hawthorns training and administration facilities were relocated to Waverley Park in the middle of the major supporter base in Melbournes outer-eastern region. Hawthorns current Victorian Football League affiliate team is the Box Hill Hawks Football Club, the official club history books and many supporters strongly believe that the clubs origins date back to its founding in 1873 at a meeting at the Hawthorne Hotel. Although a Hawthorn Football Club did indeed form at this time – and it is likely that today’s club is actually the third club to carry the name ‘Hawthorn Football Club’. In The Daily Telegraph of 12 May 1883 it is stated that “The Hawthorn Club having disbanded and this club also ceased in 1890. No Hawthorn club existed from 1890 to 1892, a new representative club, called the ‘Hawthorn Football Club’, was formed in 1893. It competed in the Victorian Junior Football Association until 1898, without a ground to play on, however, the club was disbanded in 1899. In March 1902, Alf Kosky formed a club from the various clubs under the banner of Hawthorn Football Club to compete in the Metropolitan Junior Football Association. The club merged with Boroondara in 1905 and adopted Boroondaras colours of a black guernsey with red sash, in 1906 Hawthorn merged with successful junior club the Hawthorn Rovers to form the Hawthorn City Football Club as a result of Glenferrie Oval opening. The club was reformed in 1912, changing to a gold guernsey with a blue V, the council then applied to the Victorian Football Association for inclusion which was granted in 1914 when Hawthorn replaced the disbanded Melbourne City club. The first task for the club was to decide on club colours, their jumper of blue, at a Special General Meeting held on 17 February 1914, a Mr J. Brain proposed brown and gold as the new colours and the motion was carried. The Mayblooms won three games and a draw in their first season in the VFA, the effect of World War I with players enlisting caused the club to finish last in 1915. The VFA then went into recess in 1916 and 1917, upon Hawthorn’s resumption in 1919 it was more competitive winning eight games and finishing sixth out of ten teams. Hawthorn dropped to eighth in 1920 but in 1921 they won seven games, bill Walton was appointed captain-coach of Hawthorn in 1922. He was however refused a clearance by Port Melbourne and as a result spent the season playing for them, twice that season, he had the unusual situation of playing a VFA game against the club that he coached

4.
Carlton Football Club
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The Carlton Football Club, nicknamed the Blues, is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1864 in Carlton, an suburb of Melbourne, the club competes in the Australian Football League. Its nickname comes from the blue colour of its playing uniform. The club has fielded a team in the AFL Womens league since its establishment in 2017. Carlton has had a long and successful history, together with fierce rivals Collingwood, Richmond and Essendon, Carlton was considered historically to be one of the leagues Big Four clubs, and enjoys a healthy rivalry with all three others. The Carlton Football Club was formed in July 1864, in the early days, Carlton became particularly strong and having grown a large supporter base. It became a rival to the Melbourne Football Club in early competition, including the South Yarra Challenge Cup. Carlton won four premierships during the era in the 1870s. In 1877, Carlton became one of the clubs of the Victorian Football Association. He died of tuberculosis in 1883, aged 27, in spite of this, the club was invited to join the breakaway Victorian Football League competition in 1897. The club continued to struggle in early seasons of the new competition, Carltons fortunes improved significantly in 1902. The Board elected the highly respected former Fitzroy footballer and Australian test cricketer Jack Worrall, then the secretary of the Carlton Cricket Club, to the same position at the football club. As secretary, Worrall slowly took over the managing of the players, under Worralls guidance in the latter part of the 1902 season, Carltons on-field performances improved, and in 1903 he led Carlton to the finals for the first time. Carlton built a reputation and financial position, and was able to convince many great players to shift to the club from other clubs. Worrall led the club to its first three VFL premierships, won consecutively, in 1906,1907 and 1908, some players had become frustrated by low payments and hard training standards, and responded by refusing to train or even play matches. The club removed Worrall from the role, and after significant changes at board level after the 1909 season. Many players who had supported Worrall left the club at the end of the season, then, in 1910, several players were suspected of having taken bribes to fix matches, with two players both found guilty and suspended for 99 matches. Despite this backdrop, Carlton continued its strong form, reaching the 1909 and 1910 Grand Finals

5.
Coleman Medal
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The Coleman Medal is awarded yearly to the Australian Football League player who kicks the most goals in home-and-away matches in that year. It is named after John Coleman, the former Essendon full forward whose career of 537 goals in 98 games was cut short by injury. Although only instituted in 1981, retrospective Coleman Medals were presented in 2004, winners prior to that were retrospectively awarded Leading Goalkicker Medals. The winners of the Coleman Medal are, Awarded prior to 1955 to the scorer of most goals in the home, Leading goalkickers, accessed 17 March 2011

6.
West Coast Eagles
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The West Coast Eagles is a professional Australian rules football club based in Perth, Western Australia, currently playing in the Australian Football League. The club is one of two Australian Football League clubs based in Western Australia, with the other being the Fremantle Football Club. The club was founded in 1986 as a team and entered the competition the following season, along with the Brisbane Bears. West Coast won its first premiership in 1992, after being defeated in the final the previous year. The clubs current coach is Adam Simpson, and the current captain is Shannon Hurn, the West Coast Eagles were selected in 1986 as one of two expansion teams to enter the Victorian Football League the following season, along with the Brisbane Bears. Ross Glendinning, recruited from North Melbourne, was made the clubs first captain as one of the few players with previous VFL experience. The teams first senior match in the VFL was played against Richmond at Subiaco Oval in late March 1987, having won eleven games and lost eleven games for the season, the club finished eighth out of fourteen teams. At the end of the season, John Todd, the coach of Swan Districts in the WAFL, the club made the finals for the first time in 1988, but lost form the following season, winning only seven games to finish 11th on the ladder. Todd was sacked at the end of the 1989 season, and was replaced by Michael Malthouse, John Worsfold replaced Steve Malaxos as captain for the 1991 season, and the club finished the season as minor premiers for the first time, losing only three games. In the finals series, West Coast progressed to the grand final, peter Sumich kicking 111 goals during the season, becoming the first West Coast player to reach a century of goals, as well as the first-ever left-footer. In 1992, West Coast finished fourth on the ladder, but again progressed to the grand final, defeating Geelong by 28 points to become the first team based outside Victoria to win a premiership. Having slipped to third in 1993, the finished as minor premiers the following season. In 1995, a second AFL team based in Western Australia, West Coast made the finals in every year that remained in the 1990s, but failed to reach another grand final, with a fourth-place finish in 1996 their best result. Worsfold retired at the end of the 1998 season, and was replaced by his vice-captain, Guy McKenna, who served as captain until his retirement two seasons later. Malthouse left West Coast at the end of the 1999 season to take up the coaching position with Collingwood, and was replaced by Ken Judge. The 2000 and 2001 seasons were marked by a decrease in form after the loss of several key senior players, culminating in a 14th-place in 2001. Round eighteen of the 2000 season marked the final match at the WACA Ground. Judge was sacked at the end of 2001, and replaced by the former captain John Worsfold

7.
Brownlow Medal
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It is the most prestigious award for individual players in the AFL. It is also acknowledged as the highest individual honour in the sport of Australian rules football. The medal was first awarded by the Victorian Football League and it was created and named in honour of Charles Brownlow, a former Geelong Football Club footballer and club secretary, and VFL president, who had died in January 1924 after an extended illness. You were selected as the fairest and best player and we have pleasure in presenting the accompanying Gold Medal in recognition of those sterling qualities, trusting that you will be long spared to interest yourself in the adancement of the Game. We are, yours sincerely W. Baldwin Spencer, M. E. Green, over time, all of these awards have migrated towards similar rules regarding voting and eligibility. But for the change of the monogram from VFL to AFL in 1990, on the awards night, the votes from each match are tallied, and the player or players with the highest number of votes is awarded the medal. The current voting system has used for the vast majority of Brownlow Medal counts. There have been different voting systems for short periods in the past, until 1930, since the rules were changed in 1980, if two or more eligible players score the equal highest number of votes, each wins a Brownlow medal. Even with these considerations, these failed to separate Des Fothergill and Herbie Matthews. The league decided to keep the original medal and award replica medals to the two winners, in 1989, the eight players who since the inception of the award had tied on votes but lost on a countback were awarded retrospective medals. The fairest component of the medal is achieved by making ineligible any player who is suspended by the AFL Tribunal during the home-and-away season, an ineligible player cannot win, place or be classified in the final Brownlow Medal rankings, regardless of the number of votes he has received. The application of the ineligibility criteria has remained consistent throughout the history of the award. Since 2015, the criteria has been based upon whether or not the player is suspended during the season. On three occasions, a player has tallied the highest number of Brownlow votes, In 1996, Corey McKernan received the same number of votes as the joint-winners James Hird. McKernan was suspended for one match during the season for kneeing, McKernan was named the AFL Players Association MVP in the same year, which is not subject to the same eligibility criteria. In 1997, Chris Grant polled one more vote than winner Robert Harvey, Grant was suspended for one match during the season for striking. The voting system has come under scrutiny because the Medal is almost always won by midfield players, some of the games greatest players in these positions never even coming close to winning the Brownlow, despite having high reputations amongst their peers and coaches. This is primarily because players who are most valuable to their teams in key or defensive positions tend not to attract attention to feature amongst the top three players on the ground

8.
Australian Football League
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The Australian Football League is the pre-eminent professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football. Through the AFL Commission, the AFL also serves as the governing body. The league was founded as the Victorian Football League as a breakaway from the previous Victorian Football Association, the league currently consists of 18 teams spread over five of Australias six states. Matches have been played in all states and territories of Australia. The AFL season currently consists of a competition, followed by a 23-round regular season. The top eight teams play off in a four-round finals series, culminating in the AFL Grand Final. The winning team in the Grand Final is termed the premiers, the current premiers are the Western Bulldogs. The six clubs invited two more VFA clubs – Carlton and St Kilda – to join the league for its season in 1897. In 1908, the league expanded to ten teams, with Richmond crossing from the VFA, Port Adelaide was the most successful club of the competition winning three titles during the period along with an earlier victory. In 1925, the VFL expanded from nine teams to twelve, with Footscray, Hawthorn, North Melbourne and Hawthorn remained very weak in the VFL for a very long period. Between the years of 1927 and 1930, Collingwood became the first, in 1952, the VFL hosted National Day, when all six matches were played outside of Melbourne. Matches were played at the Sydney Cricket Ground, Brisbane Exhibition Ground, North Hobart Oval, Albury Sports Ground and Victorian country towns Yallourn, Footscray became the first of the 1925 expansion teams to win the premiership in 1954. Melbourne became a powerhouse during the 1950s and early 1960s under coach Norm Smith, the club contested seven consecutive grand finals from 1954 to 1960, winning five premierships, including three in a row from 1955 to 1957. Television coverage began in 1957, with telecasts of the final quarter permitted. At first, several channels competed through broadcasting different games, however, when the VFL found that television was reducing crowds, it decided that no coverage was to be allowed for 1960. In 1961, replays were introduced although direct telecasts were rarely permitted in Melbourne, in 1959, the VFL planned the first purpose built mega-stadium, VFL Park, to give it some independence from the Melbourne Cricket Club, which managed the Melbourne Cricket Ground. VFL Park was planned to hold 155,000 spectators, which would have made it one of the largest stadiums in the world – although it would ultimately be built with a capacity of 78,000. Land for the stadium was purchased at Mulgrave, then farmland, the VFL Premiership Trophy was first awarded in addition to a pennant flag in 1959, essentially the same trophy design has been in use since

9.
Port Adelaide Football Club
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The Port Adelaide Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Alberton, Port Adelaide, South Australia. The clubs senior team plays in the Australian Football League whilst its reserves, Port Adelaide is the oldest professional football club in South Australia and the fifth-oldest club in the AFL. Since the clubs first game on 24 May 1870, it has won 36 South Australian league premierships, the club also won the Champions of Australia competition on a record four occasions. In 1997, the joined the Australian Football League as the only pre-existing non-Victorian club—and subsequently added the 2004 AFL Premiership to its achievements. By the late 1860s Port Adelaides river traffic was growing significantly causing John Rann, Mr. Leicester, the Port Adelaide Football Club was established on 12 May 1870 as part of a joint Australian football and cricket club with the first training session taking place two days later. It played its first match against a team called the Young Australians on 24 May 1870 at inaugural club president John Harts family property in Glanville. Football in South Australia at this stage was yet to be organised by a single body, in 1877 Port Adelaide joined seven other clubs to form the South Australian Football Association, the first league of its type in Australia. It competed its first few seasons wearing magenta guernseys and white shorts, in 1878 the club hosted its first game against the recently established Norwood Football Club with the visitors winning 1-0. A rivalry between these clubs would soon develop into one of the fiercest in Australian sport, in 1880 the club moved to Alberton Oval. In 1881 the club played a team for the first time against Carlton at Adelaide Oval. Later that year the club travelled to Victoria and played its first game outside South Australia against Sale, during the 1882 season Port Adelaide overcame Norwood for the first time after nine previous attempts winning by 1 goal at Adelaide Oval. In 1884 Port Adelaide won its first SAFA premiership, ending Norwoods run of six premierships, on 25 May 1885, Port Adelaide played its first game at the MCG against South Melbourne, drawing with the eventual VFA premiers in front of 10,000 spectators. In 1887 immense interest led into the Round 8 meeting against Norwood as the two matches between the clubs resulted in draws. Norwood won in front of a then-record 11,000 spectators at Adelaide Oval, during 1889 the club played against the Richmond at Punt Road, with Port prevailing by a goal. The 1889 SAFA season ended with Port Adelaide and Norwood equal top, Norwood went on to defeat Port Adelaide by two goals. In 1890 Port Adelaide won its second SAFA premiership and would go on to be crowned Champions of Australia for the first time after defeating VFA premiers South Melbourne. During the 1890s Australia was affected by a depression and many players were forced to move interstate to find work translating into poor on field results. By 1896, the club was in crisis and finished last causing the clubs committee to meet with the aim of revitalising the club

10.
Melbourne Cricket Ground
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The Melbourne Cricket Ground, also known simply as The G, is an Australian sports stadium located in Yarra Park, Melbourne, Victoria. The MCG is within walking distance of the city centre and is served by the Richmond railway station, Richmond, and it is part of the Melbourne Sports and Entertainment Precinct. Since it was built in 1853, the MCG has been in a state of almost constant renewal and it served as the centrepiece stadium of the 1956 Summer Olympics, the 2006 Commonwealth Games and two Cricket World Cups,1992 and 2015. The annual Boxing Day Test is one of the MCGs most popular events, the stadium fills to capacity for the AFL Grand Final. Concerts and other events are also held at the venue. The MCG is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register and was included on the Australian National Heritage List in 2005, journalist Greg Baum called it a shrine, a citadel, a landmark, a totem that symbolises Melbourne to the world. Founded in November 1838 the Melbourne Cricket Club selected the current MCG site in 1853 after previously playing at several grounds around Melbourne, the club’s first game was against a military team at the Old Mint site, at the corner of William and Latrobe Streets. The area was subject to flooding, forcing the club to move again and it was not long before the club was forced out again, this time because of the expansion of the railway. The South Melbourne ground was in the path of Victoria’s first steam railway line from Melbourne to Sandridge and this last option, which is now Yarra Park, had been used by Aborigines until 1835. Between 1835 and 1853 it was an agistment area for colonial troopers’ horses, in 1850 it was part of a 200-acre stretch set aside for public recreation extending from Governor La Trobe’s Jolimont Estate to the Yarra River. By 1853 it had become a busy promenade for Melbourne residents, an MCC sub-committee chose the Richmond Park option because it was level enough for cricket but sloped enough to prevent inundation. That ground was located where the Richmond, or outer, end of the current MCG is now, at the same time the Richmond Cricket Club was given occupancy rights to six acres for another cricket ground on the eastern side of the Government Paddock. At the time of the grant the Government stipulated that the ground was to be used for cricket and cricket only. This condition remained until 1933 when the State Government allowed the MCG’s uses to be broadened to other purposes when not being used for cricket. In 1863 a corridor of land running diagonally across Yarra Park was granted to the Hobson’s Bay Railway, the area closest to the river was also developed for sporting purposes in later years including Olympic venues in 1956. The first grandstand at the MCG was the original wooden stand built in 1854. It was during this tour that the MCG hosted the worlds first Test match, in 1881 the original members stand was sold to the Richmond Cricket Club for £55. A new brick stand, considered at the time to be the world’s finest cricket facility, was built in its place, the foundation stone was laid by Prince George of Wales and Prince Albert Victor on 4 July and the stand opened in December that year

11.
Geelong Football Club
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The Geelong Football Club, nicknamed the Cats, is a professional Australian rules football club based in the city of Geelong, Australia and playing in the Australian Football League. The Cats have been the VFL/AFL premiers nine times, with three in the AFL era and they have also won nine McClelland Trophies, a record shared with Essendon. The club was formed in 1859, making it the second oldest club in the AFL after Melbourne and one of the oldest football clubs in the world. Geelong participated in the first football competition in Australia and was a club of both the Victorian Football Association in 1877 and the Victorian Football League in 1897. The club first established itself in the VFA by winning seven premierships, the club won a further six premierships by 1963, before enduring a 44-year waiting period until it won its next premiership—an AFL-record 119-point victory in the 2007 AFL Grand Final. Geelong have since won a further two premierships in 2009 and 2011, the clubs home ground is Kardinia Park, currently also known by its sponsorship name Simonds Stadium. However, the club also hosts matches at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Geelongs traditional guernsey colours are blue and white hoops. The clubs nickname, The Cats, was first used in 1923 after a run of losses prompted a local cartoonist to suggest that the club needed a black cat to bring it good luck, the clubs official team song and anthem is We Are Geelong. Geelong Football Club was formally established at a meeting held in the Victoria Hotel on 18 July 1859, the club contested its first match of Australian rules football against Melbourne at Argyle Square in 1860, which finished as a scoreless draw. In 1863, Geelong travelled to Melbourne to contest the Caledonian Challenge Cup, although the competition was played under compromised rules, Geelong reached the final and defeated Melbourne to become the second winners of the cup. The club continued to contest the cup in the following years, during this time, Tom Wills—one of the founders of Australian football—played exclusively for the club from 1865 until his retirement from football in 1874. Following the formation of the Victorian Football Association in 1877, Geelong joined the association as one of its foundation clubs. The club relocated to Corio Oval as its home ground in time for the 1878 season. In 1924, following the death of VFL and Geelong administrator Charles Brownlow, the first player to win the award was Geelongs Edward Greeves. Having been one of the dominant clubs in the old VFA and it wasnt until 1925 that the club won its first VFL premiership. Geelong followed up with further wins in 1931 and 1937. In 1941, the club was forced to relocate from its Corio Oval base due to the oval being required for training during World War 2

12.
Melbourne Football Club
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The Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed the Demons, is an Australian rules football club, playing in the Australian Football League. It is named after and based in the city of Melbourne, Victoria, Melbourne is the worlds oldest professional club of any football code. The clubs origins can be traced to an 1858 letter in which Tom Wills, captain of the Victoria cricket team, Melbourne has won 12 VFL/AFL premierships, the latest in 1964. The club celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2008 by naming 150 Heroes as well as creating a logo which appeared on its official guernsey. The football club has been a section of the Melbourne Cricket Club since 2009. In the winter and spring of 1858, an organised football team known as Melbourne played in a series of scratch matches in the parklands outside the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Other figures associated with this embryonic Melbourne side include cricketers Jerry Bryant, William Hammersley, Thompson, and teacher Thomas H. Smith. During meetings held on 17 and 21 May 1859, Wills, Hammersley, Thompson and Smith met near the MCG at the Parade Hotel, owned by Bryant, the resulting ten codified rules are the laws from which Australian rules football evolved. The first mention of a match played under the new code was between Melbourne and South Yarra in July 1859, with Hammersley as Melbournes inaugural captain. In 1861, Melbourne participated in the Caledonian Societys Challenge Cup, the club pushed for its rules to be the accepted rules, however many of the early suburban matches were played under compromised rules decided between the captains of the competing clubs. By 1866 several other clubs had adopted an updated version of Melbournes rules, drafted at a meeting chaired by Wills cousin. Harrison was a key figure in the years of the club, he often served as captain and, in later years. Due to his reputation and administrative efforts, he was officially named Father of Australian Football in 1908. During the 1870s, Melbourne fielded teams in the Seven Twenties, after a visit to England by one of the clubs officials, the colours of red and green were officially adopted by the club. Shortly following, the club wearing a predominately red strip. The name Redlegs was coined after a Melbourne official returned from a trip to England with one set of red, Melbourne wore the red set while the blue set were, allegedly, given to the Carlton Football Club. This may be the source of Carltons nickname, The Blueboys, in 1877, the club became a foundation member of the Victorian Football Association. During the same year the took part in the first interstate football match involving a South Australian side, Victorian

13.
Richmond Football Club
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The Richmond Football Club, nicknamed the Tigers, is an Australian rules football club playing in the Australian Football League. The club has won ten premierships since joining the competition in 1908, the club is currently ranked sixth in the competition for premierships won. Prior to 1965 the club played games at Punt Road Oval. Based in a traditionally working-class area, Richmond has long-standing rivalries with cross-town Melbourne-based clubs, Collingwood, the club has been home to four AFL Hall of Fame Legends, Ian Stewart, Kevin Bartlett, Royce Hart and Jack Dyer. A team of playing as Richmond is mentioned by the newspapers in the first years of Australian football. Tom Wills, one of the founders, was the clubs inaugural secretary and captain. This loosely organised group has no continuity to the present club, a number of teams formed in the Richmond area during the games rapid expansion of the 1870s and early 1880s. However, all played at a level and it was considered an anomaly that Richmond, one of Melbournes biggest locales. The wait ended when the Richmond Football Club was officially formed at the Royal Hotel in Richmond on 20 February 1885, a successful application for immediate admission to the Victorian Football Association followed. The club shared the Punt Road Oval with the Richmond Cricket Club, at first the team wore a blue uniform. One of the most important features of a nineteenth-century footballers uniform was his headgear, and Richmond opted for yellow and black striped caps, after a couple of years, yellow and black stripes replaced blue as the colours of the teams guernseys. The team was called the Richmondites, the Wasps or, most commonly. During the late 1880s, the VFA expanded rapidly, a booming economy and large numbers of immigrants made Melbourne the largest city in the Australian colonies. The city was mad with football and many tried to get admission to the VFA. Richmond struggled to make an impression and after a promising season in 1888. As the local economy slipped into depression in the early 1890s and the crowds began to dwindle. Richmond were not considered part of elite group, who usually voted together as a block at VFA meetings. A lack of commitment and focused effort was holding the Tigers back, in 1896, Richmond walked off the field in a match with South Melbourne at half time when they were a long way behind on a very wet day to protest the umpiring. Later in the season, the Tigers had their score annulled against Essendon when it was discovered that they had too many men on the ground, in the closing three weeks of the season, Richmonds gate takings amounted to just five pounds

14.
Adelaide Football Club
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The Adelaide Football Club, nicknamed the Crows, is a professional Australian rules football club that competes in the Australian Football League. The club is based in Adelaide, South Australia, playing its matches at Adelaide Oval. The club has its training and administration base at Football Park in West Lakes, the club song is The Pride of South Australia, to the tune of the Marines Hymn. The Crows were formed in 1990 as a team owned by the SANFL. They won both the 1997 and 1998 Grand Finals, and have appeared in 12 finals series in their 25-year history, the club is currently captained by Taylor Walker and coached by Don Pyke. Walker was appointed prior to the 2015 season, while Pyke permanently succeeded the late Phil Walsh as head coach in October 2015. After the VFL was renamed the AFL for the 1990 season, the SANFL clubs unanimously resolved, in May 1990, the AFL refused to accept this, and revised negotiations with individual clubs Port Adelaide and Norwood. Two months later, the Port Adelaide Football Club reached terms of agreement with the AFL to enter a team into its competition in season 1991, the other nine SANFL clubs reacted strongly and entered into litigation in an endeavour to halt Ports bid. As the terms offered were more favourable than previously offered, talks were resumed, on 19 September 1990, the AFL approved the bid for a new South Australian club to enter to the league, rather than a single existing SANFL club. The Adelaide Crows played their first season in the AFL in 1991, inaugural coach Graham Cornes and captain Chris McDermott led Adelaide to a respectable ninth place out of 15 in the league, with 10 wins and 12 losses and a percentage of 89.44. Adelaides first AFL game was against Hawthorn on Friday 22 March at their home ground. The Crows defeated the eventual premiers by a hefty 86-point margin, the club reached its first finals series in 1993 AFL season, eventually losing to Essendon in the preliminary final. The year 1997 marked the entry of a second South Australian club, the Crows easily qualified for the finals series and hosted fifth-placed West Coast in the First Elimination Final. In the first final ever to be played at Football Park, the next week, Adelaide hosted Geelong, who had come second but lost the previous week to North Melbourne, in the Second Semi Final, winning narrowly,11.10 to 9.14. This set up an away Preliminary Final against the Western Bulldogs at the MCG.21 to 13.13 and this allowed the Crows to qualify for their first AFL Grand Final, to be played against St Kilda at the MCG a week later. However, the Crows again overcame a deficit, kicking 14 second-half goals to win by 31 points,19.11 to 13.16. Darren Jarman kicked six goals, five of which came in the last quarter, whilst utility Shane Ellen kicked a career-best five and Troy Bond kicked four. Andrew McLeod, who gathered 31 possessions across half-back and in the midfield, the win is arguably one of the finest moments in South Australian sporting history

15.
Western Bulldogs
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The Western Bulldogs is a professional Australian rules football club that competes in the Australian Football League, the sports premier competition. The club has won two VFL/AFL premierships, in 1954 and 2016, and was runner up in 1961, the Western Bulldogs home guernsey features two thick horizontal hoops—one red and one white—on a royal blue background. The clubs traditional rivals include St Kilda and geographical rival Essendon, the clubs headquarters and training facilities are located in Footscray at Whitten Oval, nicknamed The Kennel, its original home ground. In 1996, the changed its name from the Footscray Football Club to its nickname. Newspapers record Australian rules football being played in the Melbourne suburb of Footscray in the mid-1870s, in 1880, the club changed its name to the Prince Imperials in honour of Napoléon, Prince Imperial, the heir to French throne, who had recently died in battle. The club reverted to Footscray a few years later, in 1886, Footscray gained admission to the Victorian Football Association after amalgamating with the Footscray Cricket Club to form a senior football club. The club tended to struggle over the decade, occupying the lower rungs of the VFA ladder. The club began to improve after the VFL breakaway of 1896, as no finals were played, Footscray were declared premiers. The club played in and won its first finals match in 1903, against Richmond, the minor premiers, after losing to West Melbourne in the 1906 VFA Grand Final, the club won its first premiership by defeating Brunswick in 1908. The club entered two years of recess during World War I and returned in 1918, still rebuilding, the club won the wooden spoon. From bottom to top in one year,1919 saw the win the premiership. The club went back-to-back in 1923 and 1924, the 1924 premiership would be Footscrays last in the VFA. Footscray recorded a victory, winning by 28 points. The win was a significant factor in Footscray gaining admission to the VFL. In 1919, there were nine clubs competing in the VFL, due to the return of all the foundation teams plus Richmond after World War I and this caused one team to be idle every Saturday and the VFL was keen to do away with this bye each week. On the night of 9 January 1925, a meeting of the VFL, chaired by Reg Hunt of Carlton. It was decided in the meeting to admit Footscray, along two other VFA clubs, Hawthorn and North Melbourne. Footscray played their first VFL match against Fitzroy on Saturday 2 May at the Brunswick Street Oval in front of 28,000 spectators, future Brownlow medallist Allan Hopkins was regarded as Footscrays best player that day

16.
Football Park
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Football Park, also known commercially as AAMI Stadium, is an Australian rules football stadium located in West Lakes, a western suburb of Adelaide, the state capital of South Australia, Australia. It was built in 1973 by the South Australian National Football League, until the end of the 2013 AFL season, it served as the home ground of both the Adelaide Crows and Port Adelaide Football Club. It also hosted all SANFL finals from 1974 to 2013 and it has a seating capacity of 51,240. Since 2014, it has not been used for any SANFL or AFL matches, as of 2017, it is still the headquarters and training ground for Adelaide Crows. Ground was broken for Football Park in 1971, giving the SANFL its own venue after years of playing out of the Adelaide Oval, the stadium hosted its first football game on 4 May 1974, an SANFL match between Central District and North Adelaide. The first goal was kicked by Norths Barry Hearl, but The Bulldogs won the game defeating The Roosters 21.13 to 16.13. Bench seating was added to the stadiums bowl section. The new roof gave the outer of the ground a number of under cover seats. Television screens showing the games in progress at the ground are also in place under the concourse roof, after long-term negotiations with the State Government and the local council, as well as local residents, the SANFL started building the grounds four light towers in late 1983. These were finished by early 1984, with all games in Adelaide moving from the suburban grounds to league headquarters for the next 16 years. The following year the stadium got its first video superscreen, although the old scoreboard located above the tunnel in the south-east corner remained in place as the main scoreboard. After years of speculation, Football Parks members grandstand was extended in 2001 with the opening of the new Northern Stand, the stadium has also hosted International rules football games between Australia and Ireland, as well as being used for rock concerts. Football Park also hosted a National Soccer League game during the early-mid 1990s, the record football crowd at Football Park was 66,897 when Sturt defeated Port Adelaide in the 1976 SANFL Grand Final, though police believe the attendance figure was closer to 80,000. To avoid a crush, spectators were allowed on the field between the line and the fence, and thousands were turned away by the police as the house full signs went up. The record Showdown attendance at Football Park was recorded at Showdown XIX on 10 September 2005 when 50,521 saw the Crows defeat the Power by 83 points in the 2005 First Semi Final. Football Park has a bus terminal for buses from Adelaide and surrounding suburbs, approximately 1000 buses were used to transport spectators to. This service now operates to and from Adelaide Oval, and is known as the Footy Express, for Showdown matches, when both of Adelaides sides play against each other, the number of buses were doubled. There is no railway line serving the site, but there have been plans to build a spur from the Grange line

17.
Brisbane Lions
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The Brisbane Lions is a professional Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League. The club is based in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, the club was formed in 1996 from the merger of the Fitzroy Lions and the Brisbane Bears. The Lions are one of the most successful AFL clubs of the 21st century, having appeared in four consecutive AFL Grand Finals from 2001 to 2004, the club is based at The Gabba. The team is captained by Dayne Beams and coached by Chris Fagan, the Brisbane Lions were officially launched on 1 November 1996, joining the national competition in 1997. In their first year as a club the Lions made the finals. The following year, however, they finished in last position, as the Brisbane Lions, the club won its first AFL premiership in the 2001 AFL Grand Final, defeating Essendon 15.18 to 12.10. Lions utility player Shaun Hart won the Norm Smith Medal as best on ground in the Grand Final. In 2002, the Lions won back-to-back premierships when they again defeated Collingwood 9.12 to 10.15 in the 2002 AFL Grand Final in cold and wet conditions at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Early in the contest the Lions lost both ruckman Beau McDonald and utility player Martin Pike to injury and had to complete the match with a limited bench, however, they sealed their place in history as an AFL dynasty by thrashing the Magpies in cool but sunny conditions. At one stage in the quarter the Lions led by almost 80 points before relaxing when the match was well and truly won. The final score of 20.14 to 12.12 saw the club only the fourth in VFL/AFL history to win three consecutive premierships and the first since the creation of the AFL. Simon Black claimed the Norm Smith Medal with a dominant 39 possession match, the 2004 season saw Brisbane remain in the top portion of the ladder for most of the season. Port Adelaide had finished on top of the ladder and hosted the preliminary final in Adelaide. Despite this setback, Brisbane beat Geelong and reached the AFL Grand Final for the fourth consecutive year and their opponents, Port Adelaide, playing in their first ever grand final, were too good on the day and recorded a 40-point win. The Lions began the 2006 season optimistically, but injuries plagued the club. The Brisbane Lions finished runner up in the 2007 NAB Cup and that year, the Lions failed to make the finals for a third successive year in 2007. The Lions began the 2008 NAB Cup shakily, losing to Essendon by 27 points, the team struggled for the season and missed out on the finals with a 10–12 record, losing 3 games despite having at least 5 more scoring shots in each of those games. Coach Leigh Matthews resigned at the end of the season after 10 seasons and 3 premierships with the club, the Lions made a good start in the 2009 NAB Cup under new senior coach Michael Voss by registering a 9-point win over St Kilda

18.
St Kilda Football Club
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The St Kilda Football Club, nicknamed the Saints, is an Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The club plays in the Australian Football League, the premier league. The clubs name originates from the bayside Melbourne suburb of St Kilda in which the club was established in 1873, St Kilda have only won a single premiership to date, a famous one-point win in the 1966 VFL Grand Final. St Kilda most recently won the premiership in the 2009 AFL season and were grand finalists in 2009 and 2010. The St Kilda Football Club was formed on 2 April 1873, soon after a decision was made to amalgamate St Kilda FC with nearby Prahran Football Club. St Kilda retained their colours, name and ground, as well as picking up a number of Prahran players. St Kilda competed as a club in the VFA from 1877 to 1879, 1881–1882. St Kilda were one of the eight clubs that took part in the inaugural VFL season in 1897 and they made their debut in an away game against Collingwood on 8 May 1897, which they lost 2.4. to 5.11. The clubs home ground in the new league was the Junction Oval in the suburb of St Kilda in Melbourne, the score was St Kilda 3.8. to 10.6. St Kildas early years in the VFL were not successful and, in 1899, they had the lowest score recorded in a VFL/AFL match. In 1902, Charlie Baker became the first St Kilda player to be the leading goalkicker in a home. Six successive wins at the start of the 1907 season saw St Kilda make the finals for the first time, qualifying third with nine wins, St Kilda were beaten by Carlton in their first VFL final by 56 points. They qualified in third again in 1908 and were once again eliminated by Carlton in the semi-finals. The 1913 season saw improvement in which the team qualified fourth. St Kilda won its semi-final against South Melbourne and then defeated Fitzroy two weeks later 10.10. to 6.9. in what was a match between the two teams won the semi-finals.14. to 5.13. Colin Watson became the first St Kilda player to win the leagues highest individual award, the following years saw St Kilda establish itself as a more consistently competitive club. They made the finals in 1929 and were eliminated again by Carlton,12.9 to 11.7. In 1936, Bill Mohr became the second St Kilda player to be the leading goalkicker in a home

19.
The Gabba
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The Brisbane Cricket Ground, commonly known as the Gabba, is a major sports stadium in Brisbane, the capital of Queensland. It is named after the suburb of Woolloongabba, in which it is located. The land on which the ground sits was first set aside for use as a ground in 1895. Prior to this, cricket was played at the ground located in the area then known as Green Hills. The Gabba shared first-class cricket matches with the Exhibition Ground until 1931, the first Sheffield Shield match at the Gabba was scheduled to be played between 31 January 1931 and 4 February 1931, but it was washed out without a ball being bowled. The first Test match at the Gabba was played between Australia and South Africa between 27 November and 3 December 1931. Over the years, the Gabba has hosted athletics, Australian rules football, baseball, concerts, cricket, cycling, rugby league, rugby union, soccer and pony and greyhound races. Between 1993 and 2005, the Gabba was redeveloped in six stages at a cost of A$128,000,000, the dimensions of the playing field are now 170.6 metres by 149.9 metres to accommodate the playing of Australian Football at elite level. The seating capacity of the ground is now 42,000, on 15 December 2016, Australia hosted Pakistan for the first Day-Night Test of The Gabba, and the first Australian day-night test hosted outside of Adelaide Oval. The First Test between Australia and England is played nowadays at Brisbane, nobody seems to know why, and all sorts of arguments are ventilated for and against more cricket Tests on the Woolloongabba ground. I am all in favour of robbing Queensland of its greatest cricketing occasion and it is not a cricket ground at all. Spectators are herded and sorted out into lots as though for all the world this was a slave market, the stands are of wood and filthy to sit on. The dining rooms are barns, without a touch of colour or a picture on the wall, everywhere there is dust and dirt. Forgive me if I am bitter about the Woolloongabba ground. The venue usually hosts the first Test match of the season each November in addition to a number of international matches usually held in January. The pitch is usually fast and bouncy, the Gabbas amenities were greatly improved in the 1980s from a very basic standard, especially in comparison with the other Australian cricket grounds. Test cricket was first played at the ground in November 1931, in December 1960, Test crickets first-ever Tied Test took place at the ground when Richie Benauds Australian team tied with Frank Worrells West Indian side. Queensland clinched its first-ever Sheffield Shield title with victory over South Australia in the final at the ground in March 1995, the Gabba was the first Australian venue to host an International Twenty20 cricket match. Australias Michael Clarke holds the record for number of runs scored in one Test innings at the Gabba with 259 not out, Australia has a formidable test match record at the ground

20.
Collingwood Football Club
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The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed the Magpies or less formally the Pies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League. This spike in membership registration can mainly be attributed to the winning of the 2010 AFL Premiership and this record was again broken in 2013, with club reaching a new high of 80,000 members. Collingwood is regarded as one of Australias most popular clubs, being the highest attended, Collingwoods home guernsey consists of black and white stripes, matching the colours of an Australian magpie. Throughout its history, the club has developed rivalries with cross-town Melbourne based clubs Carlton, Richmond, Essendon, historically one of the most successful clubs in the league, Collingwood has won 15 VFL/AFL premierships, the third-most of any team. Collingwood has played in a record 43 grand finals, winning 15, the club fields a seconds team in the Victorian Football League and a womens team in the AFL Womens competition. It also owns and operates a team in the National Netball League. The Collingwood Football Club was established on 12 February 1892, Collingwood played its first game in the Victorian Football Association against Carlton on 7 May 1892. The club won the VFA Premiership in 1896, in 1897, Collingwood, along with fellow VFA clubs Fitzroy, Melbourne, St Kilda, Carlton, Essendon, South Melbourne and Geelong split from the VFA and formed the Victorian Football League. Collingwood won its first premiership in 1902, defeating Essendon by 33 points, Collingwood was the most successful club of the 1920s and 1930s, appearing in 13 out of a possible 20 Grand Finals during the period. Collingwood were premiers six times during this time, including four consecutive premierships between 1927 and 1930, a VFL/AFL record, and two premierships in 1935 and 1936. The clubs coach during this period was Jock McHale, who served as coach from 1912 to 1949, Collingwood lost two Grand Finals to Melbourne in this decade, but bounced back to win premierships in 1953 and 1958. Collingwoods 1958 premiership is much cherished by the club as it prevented Melbourne from equalling Collingwoods record four premierships in a row, the 1958 premiership was however to be Collingwoods last for 32 years, as the club was to suffer a string of Grand Final defeats in coming decades. A string of eight Grand Final losses, often by narrow margins, between 1960 and 1981 gave rise to a perception that the club was prone to choking, a phenomenon wittily dubbed Colliwobbles. Whether this perception is accurate remains a subject of debate, however, Lou Richards ceremoniously buried the Colliwobbles at Victoria Park after the clubs 1990 premiership. Collingwood made a return to the finals in 2006, but were defeated by the Western Bulldogs by 41 points, having earned a preliminary final against Geelong, the Pies challenged the eventual premiers, only to fall short by five points. Nathan Buckley would announce his retirement at seasons end after playing just five games in 2007 due to injury, Collingwood finished eighth in 2008 and were assigned an away final against Adelaide at AAMI Stadium. After at one point trailing in the match, the Pies went on to end Adelaides season, having defeated the Saints in both their regular season meetings, the Pies lost convincingly, ending their 2008 season. The 2009 season saw Collingwood finish inside the top-four for the first time since 2003, but the season ended abruptly for the Magpies, with an 73-point loss to the Cats

21.
Fremantle Football Club
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The Fremantle Football Club, nicknamed the Dockers, is a professional Australian rules football team that competes in the Australian Football League. The club is based in the city of Fremantle at the mouth of the Swan River in Western Australia. In 1995 it became the team from Western Australia after the West Coast Eagles to be admitted to the AFL, honouring the rich footballing tradition. The club is coached by Ross Lyon following the sacking of Mark Harvey at the end of the 2011 AFL home and away season. Fremantle has not won a premiership during its time in the AFL, however it did win the premiership in 2015. The port city of Fremantle has long been a stronghold of Australian rules football in Western Australia, the East Fremantle and South Fremantle Football Clubs dominated the early years of the West Australian Football League, winning 24 of the first 34 premierships. Since 1897, Fremantle Oval has been the venue for Australian rules football matches in the city. The largest attendance at a match in Western Australia was 52,781 at Perths Subiaco Oval for the 1979 WANFL Grand Final between East Fremantle and South Fremantle. Champion players who forged careers playing for Fremantle-based clubs include, among others, Steve Marsh, Jack Sheedy, John Todd, George Doig, William Truscott. Negotiations between East Fremantle and South Fremantle to enter into the VFL as a merged club began in 1987, however, due to an exclusive rights clause granted to the West Coast Eagles this would be impossible until the end of the 1992 season. Further applications were made by the clubs to join but their model was out of favour with the West Australian Football Commission, the AFL announced on 14 December 1993 that a new team, to be based in Fremantle, would enter the league in 1995. The names Fremantle Football Club, Fremantle Dockers and the colours of purple, red, green. The decision to base the new club in Fremantle was primarily due to the association of Australian rules football in Fremantle. Their first training session was held on 31 October 1994 at Fremantle Oval, the team endured some tough years near the bottom of the premiership ladder, until they finished fifth after the home and away rounds in 2003 and made the finals for the first time. They then missed making the finals in the two seasons, finishing both years with 11 wins,11 losses and only 1 game outside the top 8. In the qualifying final against Adelaide at AAMI Stadium, the Dockers led for the first three quarters before being overrun by the Crows, the following week saw the club win its first finals game in the semi-final against Melbourne at Subiaco Oval. The club subsequently earned a trip to Sydney to play in its first ever preliminary-final the following Friday night at ANZ Stadium against the Sydney Swans, where they lost by 35 points. In 2007, following Chris Connollys resignation midway through the season, Mark Harvey, during his seven matches for 2007, Harvey coached the Dockers to four wins and three losses

22.
Subiaco Oval
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Subiaco Oval is a football stadium located in Subiaco, a suburb of Perth, Western Australia. The ground is used for occasional West Australian Football League matches. The stadium has also hosted Perth Glory games, including two National Soccer League grand finals, international matches, rugby union games and rock concerts. It was the ground for the Western Force between 2006 and 2009. The ground was first built in 1908, at which point it was known as Mueller Park, in 1969 a three-tier stand was constructed at the western end of the stadium, and in 1981 a two-tier stand on the members wing was completed. A further redevelopment came in 1995 with the opening of the new two-tier ANZ Stand opposite the members wing, in 1997, light towers were installed at the ground. The last redevelopment, which converted the stadium into a venue, was completed in 1999 at a cost of A$35 million. The three-tier stand is named the Orr-Simons-Hill stand, in honour of three leading figures in the history of WAFL. This was proudly and prominently displayed on the western face of the stand right up until the early 1990s. Subiaco Ovals capacity is 43,523 fully seated, the ground is floodlit by four lighting towers. Sparingly, since 2000 the ground has sometimes referred to as The House of Pain. In October 2010, Perth-based stockbroker Patersons Securities bought the rights. The Western Australian Football Commission accepted it and said it would put back into all levels of football. In February 2015, it was announced that real estate company the Domain Group will take over naming rights from Patersons Securities, the deal will last for three years, the period of time before the new Perth Stadium is scheduled to open its doors in 2018. Subiaco Oval has been the venue of music concerts. It is often chosen for concerts because there are no other venues of comparable capacity in Perth. The oval is served by Subiaco and West Leederville train stations, special bus routes are run for football matches and other special events. In 2007, tickets to AFL games included free travel on buses and this increased the proportion of football fans using public transport from 23. 4% to 32. 6%, with Dockers fans more likely to do so than Eagles fans

23.
Sydney Swans
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The Sydney Swans are a professional Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League. The club has been based in Sydney since the South Melbourne Football Club was relocated to Sydney in 1982, Sydney was the first club in the competition to be based outside Victoria. The Swans have played their games at the Sydney Cricket Ground since 1982. The South Melbourne Football Club was founded in 1874 and was strong through the 1880s and it won three premierships in 1909,1918 and 1933 before experiencing 72 years without a premiership, the longest premiership drought of any club. The club broke the drought in 2005 and won another premiership in 2012, the inauguration date of the club is officially 19 June 1874, and it adopted the name South Melbourne Football Club four weeks later, on 15 July. In 1880, South Melbourne amalgamated with the nearby Albert-park Football Club, following the amalgamation, the club retained the name South Melbourne, and adopted the clubs now familiar red and white colours from Albert-park. Nicknamed the Southerners, the team was more known as the Bloods. The colorful epithet the Bloodstained Angels was also in use, the club was based at Lake Oval, also home of the South Melbourne Cricket Club. The match took place on 3 October 1896 at the East Melbourne Cricket Ground, Collingwood won the match, six goals to five, in front of an estimated crowd of 12,000. This Grand Final would be the last match South Melbourne would play in the VFA, the other clubs were St Kilda Football Club, Essendon Football Club, Fitzroy Football Club, Melbourne Football Club, Geelong Football Club, Carlton Football Club and Collingwood Football Club. South Melbourne was one of the founding clubs of the Victorian Football League that was formed in 1897. The club had success and won three VFL premierships in 1909,1918 and 1933. Ironically, the driver was a South Melbourne supporter. It was during this period that the team known as the Swans. The name stuck, in due to the clubs association with nearby Albert Park and Lake. After several years only limited success, South Melbourne next reached the grand final in 1945. The match, played against Carlton, was to become known as the Bloodbath, courtesy of the brawl that overshadowed the match, Carlton won the match by 28 points, and from then on, South Melbourne struggled. In the following years, South Melbourne consistently struggled, as their traditional inner-city recruiting district largely emptied as a result of demographic shifts, the club missed the finals in 1946 and continued to fall such that by 1950 they were second-last on the ladder

24.
Sydney Cricket Ground
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The Sydney Cricket Ground is a sports stadium in Sydney, Australia. It is used for Test cricket, One Day International cricket, Twenty20 cricket and Australian rules football, as well as rugby league football. It is the ground for the New South Wales Blues cricket team, the Sydney Sixers of the Big Bash League. It is owned and operated by the Sydney Cricket Ground Trust that also manages the Sydney Football Stadium located next door, until the 44,000 seat Football Stadium opened in 1988, the Sydney Cricket Ground was the major rugby league venue in Sydney. Part sandhills, part swamp and situated on the fringe of the city, it was used as a rubbish dump in the 1850s. In 1851, part of the Sydney Common south of Victoria Barracks was granted to the British Army for use as a garden and its first user was the 11th North Devonshire Regiment which flattened and graded the southern part of the rifle range adjacent to the Barracks. In the next couple of years, the teams from Victoria Barracks combined themselves into a permanent organisation. The ground therefore became known as the Garrison Ground when it was first opened in February 1854, in the late 1860s another part of the Sydney Common, the area west of the Garrison Ground to the then Dowling Street, was opened for public recreation. It was named Moore Park after the Mayor of Sydney, Charles Moore, as well as the location of Sydneys first zoo, Moore Park was a regular venue for games between Sydney rugby clubs Sydney University and the Wallaroos. Sydney at the time was a small, dense city and best navigated on foot and it was not liked so much by cricketers because it was too far from the city. When the commander of the Sydney garrison, Lieutenant-Colonel John Richardson, aligned his soldiers to the East Sydney Cricket Club, in 1870 British troops left Victoria barracks and the future of the Civil and Military Ground became uncertain. However, with the closure of the Albert Ground in the 1870s, in 1875 the NSW Government began to upgrade the ground. In 1876, the ground was dedicated by Governor Sir Hercules Robinson, Driver himself was a prominent MP and solicitor for the City of Sydney Council. The Minister for Lands, Thomas Garrett, was also supportive, two trustees were appointed by the government and one by the NSWCA. The close relationship between the Trust and the NSWCA is evidenced by the fact that they pooled funds for the six years. The militarys link with the ground was finally severed when John Richardson, One conflict in 1904, over the Trusts plan to hold a cycling event which clashed with a cricket match, ended up in court. The NSWCAs influence was reduced even further over the years due to changes in the way the State Government appointed trustees. On opposite sides of the ground to the stands two spectator mounds were built and they became known as The Hill and the Paddington Hill

25.
Princes Park (stadium)
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Princes Park is an Australian rules football ground located at Princes Park in the inner Melbourne suburb of Carlton North, Victoria. Two stands were removed and replaced with a training facility. Austadiums lists the capacity of the stadium at around 22,000 and it is a historic venue, having been the home ground of the Carlton Football Club since the formation of the VFL/AFL in 1897. It has the second oldest grandstand associated with the VFL/AFL competition, the inaugural AFL Womens season opening match between Carlton Football Club and Collingwood Football Club was hosted at Princes Park on February 3,2017, with a sell-out crowd of 24,568. Princes Park was first used in 1897 by the Carlton Football Club, the club went on to win 673 of its 962 VFL/AFL games at the venue. The Alderman Gardiner Stand was designed in 1903 and completed in stages between 1909 and 1913, the mostly iron stand with original cast iron columns remains the second oldest to be associated with the VFL/AFL competition. The Robert Heatley Stand was officially opened by Alderman Sir William Brunton on Saturday,7 May 1932, Princes Park was the venue for the second Ashes test of the 1992 Great Britain Lions tour, in which the visitors defeated Australia 33 -10. The ground became known as Optus Oval in November 1993 due to a rights deal with telecommunications company Optus. In 1994, the Balmain Tigers played two New South Wales Rugby League premiership games at Princes Park, work on the Legends Stand began in 1995 and was completed for opening on 25 April 1997. The roof, with its modern structure, ensured that the oval was now enclosed with a roof all the way around its circumference. The first naming rights deal lapsed at the end of the 2005 season, in April 2006, it was announced that the naming rights for the stadium had once again been awarded, this time for a two-year term, during which the stadium was known as MC Labour Park. In 2005, it was decided to discontinue the use of the ground for AFL home, a farewell AFL game was played at Princes Park on Saturday 21 May 2005. The game was contested between Carlton and Melbourne and it was the last of the suburban grounds in Melbourne to be used in the AFL. The result was an 18-point win to Melbourne, also in the same year, the ground hosted matches from the Australian Football Multicultural Cup as well as finals for the 2005 Australian Football International Cup. On 7 June 2006 it was announced that Visy Park would receive a A$15. 7m redevelopment to provide the Carlton Football Club with elite training, a single farewell match was also staged at the venue in 2005. The ground has been Carltons training, social and administrative base continuously since 1897, South Melbourne, used the ground as its home during 1942 and 1943, owing to its usual home ground at Lake Oval being used for military purposes during World War II. Fitzroy, shared the ground with Carlton from 1967 until 1969 following its departure from the Brunswick Street Oval, Hawthorn, following its departure from Glenferrie Oval, Hawthorn used the ground as its primary home ground for sixteen years from 1974 until 1989. Then from 1990 until 1991, the split its home games approximately evenly between Princes Park and Waverley Park, before moving permanently to Waverley Park in 1992

26.
Waverley Park
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Waverley Park was an Australian rules football stadium in Mulgrave, Victoria, Australia. For most of its history, its purpose was as a neutral venue, however, during the 1990s it became the home ground of both the Hawthorn and St Kilda football clubs. It was later replaced by Docklands Stadium and it is currently used as a training venue by Hawthorn. The main grandstand and oval are listed on the Victorian Heritage Register, the seating capacity is now 2,000, down from a peak of 72,000. Waverley Park was first conceived in 1959 when delegates from the 12 VFL clubs requested the league to find land that was suitable for the building of a new stadium, in September 1962, the VFL had secured a 212-acre block of grazing and market garden land in Mulgrave. This area was chosen because it was believed that with the effects of urban sprawl and the building of the South-Eastern freeway. The VFL reportedly lobbied the government to construct a train connection to the stadium. The original plans were for a stadium catering for up to 157,000 patrons, to accommodate the large number of patrons the members stand was to be extended around the whole ground. Hence, no development ever occurred and the capacity was set at just over 100,000 patrons. The playing surface of 200 metres long and 160 metres wide was the biggest in the league and this caused some controversy and the boundary lines were repainted and goals were relocated to make the playing area a similar size to the MCGs playing surface. Under the direction of architect Reginald E. Padey, work was started at the site on 5 January 1966 when the VFL President Sir Kenneth Luke turned the first sod. On construction of the stadium, a total of 378,000 cubic yards of topsoil was excavated, the soil was used to form the banks for some sections of the stadium. The foundations for the K. G. Luke stand were laid in 1969, finally, on 18 April 1970, Fitzroy and Geelong played the first game at Waverley Park, to a crowd of 25,887. However, the stadium was far from completed, in fact the only section of the actual grandstand that was built was the first level of the K. G. Luke Stand. The rest of the stadium had only completed on the ground level. The Public Reserve Stands encircling the rest of the stadium were finished at a cost of $4.5 million in 1974, lighting was added in May 1977, at a cost of $1.2 million, for the first of the 1977 night series televised matches. In 1982 a monochrome video matrix scoreboard was in operation at Waverley Park for the first time in VFL history, in 1984 the arena was re-turfed and the drainage system upgraded. Two years later a mosaic mural perpetuating many great names of VFL football was installed on the facade above the members entrance

27.
Kardinia Park (stadium)
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Kardinia Park is a sporting and entertainment venue located within Kardinia Park, South Geelong, Victoria. The stadium, which is owned and operated by the City of Greater Geelong, is the ground of the Geelong Football Club. On 23 May 2002, Kardinia Park hosted a visit from the Dalai Lama, Kardinia Park is regarded as a proverbial graveyard for teams playing against Geelong, which has an especially good record at the ground in recent years. Geelong did not lose a match played at the venue between 26 August 2007 and 27 August 2011. Geelongs Jimmy Bartel credited the home advantage to the fact that Geelong is one of the few clubs which practices on the same field that it plays on. On 22 June 2011, it was announced the stadium would have a new name in 2012, after 10 years as naming rights sponsor of Skilled Stadium, Skilled Group decided to relinquish these rights as of 31 October 2011. The stadium is nicknamed The Cattery by the clubs supporters, floodlights were installed prior to the 2013 season, and the venue staged its first night match during the season. Association football team Melbourne Victory FC occasionally plays at Kardinia Park, european Champions League finalists Atlético Madrid played Melbourne Victory in a friendly match at the stadium on 31 July 2016. During the late 1920s and early 1930s when Motorcycle speedway was becoming popular throughout Australia, Kardinia Park was home to a dirt track known as the Geelong Velodrome. The Velodrome hosted the inaugural Victorian Solo Speedway Championship in 1926/27, both championships were won by Billy Pilgrim. In 2016, it was announced that cricket would be played at the ground for the first time. The ground hosted second T20 International between Australia and Sri Lanka on February 19, the ground witnessed memorable match between two nations, where Sri Lanka won the match by 2 wickets at the end. Sri Lanka chased 173 runs at the last ball of the match, where Asela Gunaratne smashed 46-ball unbeaten 84 runs to seal the match and series for Sri Lanka. An A$28 million redevelopment of the ground was announced in 2003, with A$13.5 million in funding from the State Government, A$4.5 million from the Geelong Football Club, and A$2 million from the AFL. A favourite for the honour of the naming of the new stand was Bob Davis, the northern terrace became known as the Gary Ablett Terrace while the western gate was renamed the Bob Davis Gate. In September 2007, Skilled Stadium received a total of A$26 million towards the rebuilding of the Ross Drew Stand on the south western side of the ground that was completed by April 2010. Funding for the project included A$14 million from the Federal Government, the new stand, known as the Premiership Stand, caters for 3,551 supporters, and has facilities for a further 800 corporate guests on match days. The stand opened in four of the 2010 AFL season

28.
Victoria Park, Melbourne
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Victoria Park is a sports venue in Abbotsford a suburb of Melbourne in Victoria, Australia. Built for the purpose of both Australian rules football and cricket, the stadium is oval shaped, Victoria Park has also been home to a cycling track, tennis courts and a baseball club that once played as a curtain raiser to football matches. Victoria Park stadium is notable as a former Victorian Football League venue between 1892 and 1999 and headquarters of the Collingwood Football Club for 107 years until 2005. It was also a home ground for the Fitzroy Football Club for the 1985 and 1986 seasons. The ground is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register and is of heritage significance. At its peak, Victoria Park was the third largest of the suburban VFL stadiums after the Melbourne Cricket Ground and Princes Park. However it was abandoned in 1999 due to its facilities not meeting the requirements of the AFL, and was to be demolished in 2000, a major redevelopment was launched in 2010 and the revitalised ground was opened in December 2011. Victoria Park was established in 1879 on Dights Paddock by Frederick Trenerry Brown, the twelve hectares of land that was known as Dights Paddock until its sale was used as cattle agistments from 1838 when the land was stolen from the Wurundjeri people and sold at auction in Sydney. In 1878 Fred Brown arranged for his uncle Edwin Trenerry to send him ₤12,000 to be used to purchase the 12-hectare paddock, Edwin Trenerry was a resident of Cornwall, UK. In 1882 the land was given to the citizens of Collingwood for their resort, a cricket pitch and cycling track were installed and the ground was used by the Capulet Cricket Club and local junior football clubs. In 1900 the Ladies Stand was constructed and in 1909 architect Thomas Watt designed the Members Stand, the Ladies Stand on the grounds north side, along Abbott Street, was pulled down in 1929 to make way for the Jack Ryder Stand. This grandstand would provide facilities for players of both the Collingwood Football and Cricket Clubs and also seated approximately 3,000 supporters. The Ryder Stand was designed by architects Peck and Kemter, the steel-framed concrete stand with cantilevered roof was named after cricketer Jack Ryder. By the end of the 1929 season Collingwood had completed the third premiership of the four in a row. The team was perceived to be invincible at Victoria Park and all rival clubs dreaded travelling there and this was in stark contrast to the prevailing economic conditions as the suburb was one of the hardest hit by the Great Depression. Victoria Park had grown to be more than just an arena and was then a beacon of hope in a very bleak world. In 1953 Collingwood won its first football premiership since 1936, with this success as a springboard, Collingwood secretary, Gordon Carlyon, started negotiations with the Collingwood council to provide for further improvements to the ground. The maximum seven year leases granted by local governments did not give the club enough security of tenure to proceed with the grand plans that were being laid down

"The Inaugurals". The side that brought North premiership glory after 34 years of wait. To commemorate the achievement, club President G/M Prendergast presented the 26 players and head trainer with a gold medal at the club's general meeting that year.

Left: Port Adelaide adopted the black and white "Wharf Pylon" guernsey and the Magpie emblem in 1902. Right: Port Adelaide's 1903 premiership team were the first to win a Grand Final in the "Wharf Pylon" guernsey.

The Australian Football League (AFL) is the pre-eminent professional competition in the sport of Australian rules …

In 1924, Footscray, the premiers of the VFA, defeated Essendon, the VFL premiers, in the Championship of Victoria. The result played a large part in Footscray, Hawthorn and North Melbourne gaining entry into the VFL the following year.